


Leta's Decision

by klr_katze



Category: Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them (Movies), Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Fix-It, Gen, Spoilers
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-05
Updated: 2018-12-05
Packaged: 2019-09-07 17:06:07
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 883
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16857928
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/klr_katze/pseuds/klr_katze
Summary: Leta Lestrange takes her life into her own hands and sets down a path to save herself from the darkness that has haunted her for so long.This fic does not focus on Leta's relationships, but includes a brief reflection of each.SPOILERS FOR THE END OF FANTASTIC BEASTS: CRIMES OF GRINDELWALD





	Leta's Decision

The blue and white flames curled ever closer.

She had watched as dozens of Aurors had succumbed, burned up in their own ambition. They had been too hasty. Too confident. They had all rushed in for the chance of bringing him in. For the chance of being the Auror that helped take down the greatest dark wizard of their age. And as she watched, Leta formed her own plan. She had her own ambitions. Her own desires. And her own something to prove.

She felt raw, the darkest parts of her past finally laid bare. And as this horror unfolded before her, she felt something shift. She didn’t have to be numb. She didn’t have to hide.

Leta could feel the heat coming off the flames as she slowly stepped ever closer to Grindelwald. She was forming a plan. It was a fool’s plan. A dangerous plan. If it didn’t work...if it didn’t work she would be dead. But if it worked….well. That would changed things. The only bit of doubt in her mind was for them. What of their fate? What of the Scamanders?

Leta wasn’t sure how she ended up loving them both, but she did. Well, she knew how she fell for Newt. He was so kind. Always so kind and gentle, but willing to defend her when she needed him the most. He was her first love and she cast him aside after he sacrificed so much for her. She had been young and she had made that mistake. And she couldn’t change the past.

Theseus had been a slower love. Long hours in dull meetings. Countless days and nights poring over reports and records together. The first time he had hesitantly asked her to dinner. Theseus was solid, stoic. He didn’t laugh much or often and a part of her wasn’t sure if her love for the older Scamander was true.

Leta knew that she wasn’t perfect. In fact, especially in this respect, she was rather flawed. But could she still change? Could she cast the dark shadow of her past aside? Set herself free? Or was she her father made anew?

Perhaps this new plan would be her first step. Maybe this was the beginning of change. After all, it wasn’t a very Lestrange thing to do. Risk dying for something so unsure. But Leta knew this.

She had to try.

Leta took a deep breath as she reached out to take Grindelwald’s outstretched hand. As his hand tightened around hers, she set her mind free.

She allowed herself to feel everything that she had kept locked away. Every bad thing, every sad and evil thing that she had ever thought about herself. The names and nature that those around her had assured her was her truth. She opened the floodgates of her past and let the memories and the torment and the pain and the regret fill every corner of her mind and seep into her veins.

Some part of her understood. A large part of her, actually, understood why so many witches and wizards had gone to Grindelwald. He offered everything that outcasts like herself had ever wanted. What she had so desperately tried to grasp. He offered acceptance. Understanding. There was no judgment if you followed him. He promised shelter from a harsh and bitter world.

Leta felt tears drop from her eyes. She could be one of them. She could easily fall in line. It wouldn’t take much. It wouldn’t take much at all.

Somewhere behind her she heard them. Like whispers under water. Even though she could barely hear them, she knew what they were shouting, what they were begging her to do.  _ Come back! Leta don’t go! Leta, no! Leta, please! LETA! _

Grindelwald smiled and expressed something to her. But his voice too, was like some faraway thing.

Leta thought of nothing and everything. She let the full force of her harbored heart pour out of her and let the thoughts run wild.

This was it.

Grindelwald led her closer to the edge of the flames and, before he could pull her through she stopped and finally turned to them.

She let her eyes slip to the space in between the two brothers she whispered one final sentence. One that, as she approached the possibility of death, she knew was true.

“I love you.”

And she stepped through the flames.

Leta felt the familiar chaos of reality shifting and swirling around her, eyes shut tight, a few stray tears still falling down her cheeks.

She had apparated countless times.

But this time was different.

As she felt the world fall back into place around her, Leta opened her eyes.

She was in a entrance hall of some sort, grand and proud. Like countless she had seen before. The difference this time, was that she was surrounded by Grindelwald’s followers.

Grindelwald turned to her and bowed over her hand. When he gazed up at her, a small, warm smile spread over his face.

“Welcome home, my dear.”

It only took a moment for a timid smile to spread on her own face. This was it. Her plan had worked. She had made it. Managed to somehow trick those flames.

“It’s good to be here.”

Now her real work would begin. 


End file.
